As team rebuilds, Orioles have big plans for its main jewel, Camden Yards

[atomic]

1 hour ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Might as well get the five-year-olds used to guys drinking six beers and inappropriately heckling Xander Bogaerts.

Cue @Old#5fan lecturing us on how anyone under the age of nine should never, ever go to a baseball game.

You could only let in adults who have children.  The zoo serves beer and I never see any adults acting inappropriately.   I am not sure why beer is seen as an evil in the US.   I drink beer when I go places with my daughter and its never an issue.  I think the problem is the people who have 6 beers and pickles before the game.  But really other than opening day I haven't seen people getting out of control drunk at Orioles games. 

[atomic]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Movie ticket prices also have escalated significantly over the last 5-10 years, at least where I live.     While I’d love some extra leg room at the ballpark, I don’t know that I want to pay 50% more for that privilege.   

Don't the lower box and club level seats have more room.  I went to the upper deck last year for the first time in many many years as the moon bounce was up there.  And I noticed that the seats in the upper deck didn't even have cup holders.  I wonder how much money they save on the lack of cup holders. It was kind of shocking to me that the seats didn't have them. 

[Going Underground]

53 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I don't disagree.  But if young families want a section that caters to their demographic and keeps out the 25-year-olds who want to chug $100 worth of stadium beer, and that helps sell some tickets, I'm good with it.

One of my major problems with life in general is the pervasive idea that we should be very, very afraid of everything all the time.  Buy my products, vote for me... and I will save you from the Boogeyman who is standing behind every corner.

But that is the nature of politics. Promise things that can never actually happen or get passed and scare you of the people that are different then you .

[UpstateNYfan]

3 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

While we're rambling on about radical redesigns, what if we just removed the lower seating area in left, the bullpens, the RC bleachers, and the standing area, and made the whole thing in play?  The resulting dimensions would be something like 400-425-465-450-370.  With a pretty hefty wall all around.  The Camden Yards homer park factor would go from something like 125 to 30.  And the triples would go from 25 or whatever to 200+.  Anything hit up the RC gap is at least a triple.  Anything hit over the CFer's head is at least a triple.  Billy Hamilton might hit an ISTP homer to straightaway left.  Every pitcher would flock to The Yards, but they'd never sign a free agent slugger ever again and Chris Davis would hit .144 with three homers, all on the road.

Edit: the only park of the last 120ish years I know of that was that big was the original configuration of Braves Field in Boston, which was over 400' everywhere.  In the deadball that might as well have been infinite fence distances.  I'm guessing there were years where no one hit a ball over the fence all season.  For example, in 1925, after the introduction of the lively ball around 1920, the Braves hit 12 homers at home (11 ISTP), and allowed 11 (10 ISTP).  Two total homers all year that cleared the fence.

IIRC , the old Pittsburgh Forbes Field was so deep in center, that the batting cage was stored on the field there.

[Going Underground]

3 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

While we're rambling on about radical redesigns, what if we just removed the lower seating area in left, the bullpens, the RC bleachers, and the standing area, and made the whole thing in play?  The resulting dimensions would be something like 400-425-465-450-370.  With a pretty hefty wall all around.  The Camden Yards homer park factor would go from something like 125 to 30.  And the triples would go from 25 or whatever to 200+.  Anything hit up the RC gap is at least a triple.  Anything hit over the CFer's head is at least a triple.  Billy Hamilton might hit an ISTP homer to straightaway left.  Every pitcher would flock to The Yards, but they'd never sign a free agent slugger ever again and Chris Davis would hit .144 with three homers, all on the road.

Edit: the only park of the last 120ish years I know of that was that big was the original configuration of Braves Field in Boston, which was over 400' everywhere.  In the deadball that might as well have been infinite fence distances.  I'm guessing there were years where no one hit a ball over the fence all season.  For example, in 1925, after the introduction of the lively ball around 1920, the Braves hit 12 homers at home (11 ISTP), and allowed 11 (10 ISTP).  Two total homers all year that cleared the fence.

A moat in the outfield with alligators would be nice. Make the game interesting . It worked in Rome with the lions.Baseball would not be boring.

[Redskins Rick]

22 hours ago, Frobby said:

What is the upside to reducing the number of seats?    The stadium shell is what it is.   Of course, I’m a tall guy, so if they wanted to give each row a couple more inches of leg room, I wouldn’t complain.   

but what are the odds, slim and none.

Given the concrete seat tiers, I dont see it happening.

I wish it would. I hate my knees rubbing on the seat in front of me.

[fansince1988]

5 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

- The scoreboard is fine.  It does its job, it doesn't detract from the game experience.  It might be somewhat older than some other scoreboards in North American top-tier professional sports facilities, but it's not like it's the tiny, low-resolution, barely video-capable screens you see in minor league baseball.  I've never been to a game at Camden Yards and thought "wow, we'd see a lot more fans and engagement with the game if only the video board wasn't designed in 2012."

- I'd like to see larger dimensions in all MLB parks. But I think that is a minority opinion.  In most parks including OPACY significantly altering dimensions would be a pretty major renovation, costing a lot of money.  And it runs counter to the modern game of all Ks and homers, all the time.

I too would like to see larger dimensions at all parks, especially ours. I agree though, probably not going to happen. I can see them adding a luxury suite behind home plate similar to the PNC Diamond Club at Nats Park. The scoreboard is going to be 11 years old next season, they replaced it after the 2008 season. At least repaint the sun-faded supporting structure.

[DrungoHazewood]

1 minute ago, Redskins Rick said:

but what are the odds, slim and none.

Given the concrete seat tiers, I dont see it happening.

I wish it would. I hate my knees rubbing on the seat in front of me.

Eventually evolution will get rid of all you gangly people.

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, DrungoHazewood said:

Eventually evolution will get rid of all you gangly people.

lol, well, I have girth too, not just height. :):):)

Gangly has never been a term used for me.

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, UpstateNYfan said:

IIRC , the old Pittsburgh Forbes Field was so deep in center, that the batting cage was stored on the field there.

Could be.  The Polo Grounds featured in-play bullpens in L/RC. 

Another benefit of going back to huge field dimensions is they could rope off part of the outfield as standing room sections for big games.

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, DrungoHazewood said:

Could be.  The Polo Grounds featured in-play bullpens in L/RC. 

Another benefit of going back to huge field dimensions is they could rope off part of the outfield as standing room sections for big games.

I wanted to try out those ground level seats in right field, before they were closed off to the public and used by the ground crew.

 

[fansince1988]

4 hours ago, Dipper9 said:

I'm 5'6 so I feel your pain.  The new rail makes it much better, but when it was the actual wall there with the padding, I had to be in the front row or I didn't see anything.  

*shortpeopleproblems*

The "new rail" was installed after the 2011 season, just for historical reference.

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, atomic said:

Don't the lower box and club level seats have more room.  I went to the upper deck last year for the first time in many many years as the moon bounce was up there.  And I noticed that the seats in the upper deck didn't even have cup holders.  I wonder how much money they save on the lack of cup holders. It was kind of shocking to me that the seats didn't have them. 

It may have been like when I was building my house.  I was already at 125% of my original budget, so eventually I just had to say I won't have six electrical outlets in the garage, two will have to do.

[AuburnAL]

5 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Eventually evolution will get rid of all you gangly people.

 

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

It may have been like when I was building my house.  I was already at 125% of my original budget, so eventually I just had to say I won't have six electrical outlets in the garage, two will have to do.

You should have rebuild the 63 and just built one of those cheap tiny homes.